Adjustable hat



M y 1929- J. s. BUCKMAN ADJUSTABLE HAT Filed June 11, 1928 NVENTOR BY John $.Bzzc/f77zan ATTORN EYS Patented May 7, 1929.

1,712,290 OFFICE.

JOHN S. BUCKMAN, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE HAT.

This invention relates to hats which are expansible to various head sizes in order to more easily and satisfactorily fit a customer and relieve the dealer of the necessity of carrying in stock an extremely large number of hats of different sizes. An important 0bject of the invention is to provide a ladys hat of this character embodying improved features of design and construction which render it a practical, attractive and readily saleable article of millinery.

Other obj ects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved hat looking; toward the rear thereof;

Fig. 2 a fragmentary rear perspective view showing the hat expanded;

Fig. 3 a fragmentary view upon a larger scale looking toward the inner side of the back of the hat with the latter contracteo;

1- a view similar to Fig. 3 with the hat expand ed p r Fig. 5 an enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 a rear view of a slightly modified form of hat; and

Fig. 7 an enlarged section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The hat, as shown in Fig. 1, is of the popular bell-shaped type and comprises a rounded crown 1, formed of felt, and a narrowbrim 2. The brim is a strip of felt of ir regula r width extending entirely around the crown, underlapping it and stitched thereto as it 3 along; two parallel lines. The rear portion ofthe brim extends downward only a slight distance below the lower edge of the crown; its front portion extends materially farther and is folded upward to form an up turned visor 4: and at one side it is formed into a how 5. Both crown and brim are freely flexible.

Centrally of its rear side the crown is folded. to form pleats 6 to render it cxpa. sible. In the present instance there are four complete pleats arranged rather close together in a group. They extend downwardly from a point near the top level of the crown clear to the lower edge of the latter, are slightly curved rearward and. converge downward for a material portion of their length. The

. plea-ts are of the accordion type and form four salient ridges at the exterior of the hat. Along these ridges, just inwardly of their he ed s, extend has of stitching t which hold so apposed of the plea pinched te 1928. I Serial No. 284,451.

gether along substantially the length of the pleats. The back portion of the brim 2 1111-, derlaps the lower ends of the pleats 6 and are also pleatedas at S to fold therewith. At their lower ends thepleats 6 are of material depth and their depth decreases gradually toward their upper ends until they merge with the smooth body of the crown.

Adjacent the lower edge of the crown the opposed folds of the pleats 6 are formed with small vertical slits 9 which are in horizontal alinen'ient, or substantially so. The pleats form five ridges within the hat crown and the said slits are arranged adjacent these inner ridges. A narrow elastic strip 10 is trained through the slits 9. It extends for a short distance beyond the opposite sides of the groupof pleats and its ends are securely stitched as at 1.1 to the inner side of the crown. This strip is adapted to normally hold the pleats folded together and hold the hat contracted and also to guide the folding and imfoldinp; of the pleats when thehat is put on and taken off ofthe head.

The crown of the hat is encircled by an outer band 12 which is so placed and proportioned as to cover and conceal the elastic strip 10 at the back of the hat and to have its lower edge conceal the lower edge of the hat crown. Along its upper edge it is stitched to the crown, as at 13. and its back portion is closely stitched. along its upper and lower edges to the pleats, as at 14 so that it will also fold into pleats. The bandis formed of substaiu tially nonstretclilable fabric and it is adapted to limit the expansion of the hat and prevent an excessive strain upon the elastic strip 10 which might destroy the resilience of thelatter or tear it loose from the hat crown.

The hat is provided with a lining 15 which covers substantially the entire inner surface of the crown. and also that of the brim strip 2 and is stitched to the latter entirely along its lower-edge, as indicated at 16. This lining: is formed offabric cut and arranged with its threads running on the bias with respect to the direction of expansion of the hat. This renders the lining sligl'itly stretchable and prevents tearing thereof and breaking of its stitching 16 if the expansibility of the pleat structure should exceed. the normal proportions of the lining. Then properlymade the lining will have suliicicnt fullness to expand with the pleats. If it should happen to he made a trifle small, however, it will stretch with. :tlzi to prevent tearing:

-A hat ofthe design and structure described is a thoroughly satisfactory and attractive article of millinery. The pleats permit the expansion of the hat to a variety of head slzes thereby greatly reduce the number of hats which the dealer is required to carry in stock. The resilient element 10 causes a contraction of the hat to snugly fit the head and stitching? to prevent rumpling of the pleats,

cause them to fold along definite lines, and

preserve them in the form of an attractive pattern. The outer band conceals the resilient element 'andthe pleat apertures or slits 9 and also prolongs the life and resilience of the element by preventing excessive strain thereon. The lining is constructed to prevent rupture thereof or'tearing of its stitching. Throughout, the hat is designed to avoid any annoyances orobjections'due to the inclusion of an expansible feature The various parts are safeguarded from strain and deterioration. Also the expansible feature does not in' the least mar the appearance of the hat. On

" the contrary-the pleated structure, due to its design and location, adds to the attractiveness of the hat. v i e InFigs. (Sand 7 isshown a hat of slightly different "design. Here the pleats 6 termi- 1 nate materially below the top of the crown 1 andj'the latter 'is folded down at the back to cover the upper ends of the pleats. The pleats are "notstitched alongtheir edges as in the firstform; the band 12 is made wider to cover the pleats for most of their length,

and the' shape of brim has been changed. Otherwise the structure of this hat is the same as. that previously described. v

Both formsof the h at are thoroughly practical and desirable. However, I do not wish to'be'li'mited strictly tothis disclosure of my invention but reserve the right to make such changes therein as will lie wlthin the scope of 'theclaims; F or'example, the pleats may Y be located at'some pointot-hcr than the'back of the hat.

' What I claim is:

1'. An adjustable hat ofgenerally conventional design for ladies wear formed at one side with a few elosely'grouped pleats therein beginning in the crown of the hat, extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat and adaptedto fold and unfold for varying the head size of the hatwhile the rest of the hat has the usual'outer surface, said pleats being formed with apertures in their opposed folds spaced a short'distanee above the lower edge of the hat; a pleat-guiding and contracting element in the form of an elastic strip trained through said, apertures transversely of the pleats, secured at its encb to the inner side of the hat at opposite sides of the'group of pleats and tending to hold the latter folded and an exterior band extending around the hat and covering said elastic element.

2. An adjustable hat of generally conventional design formed at one side with a few closely grouped pleats therein beginning in the crown of the hat, extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat and adapted to fold and unfold for varying the head size of the hat while the rest of the hat has the usual outer surface, said pleats being formed with apertures in their opposed folds spaced :1 short distance above the lowrr edge of the hat; and a pleatguiding and contracting clement in the form of an elastic strip trained through said apertures transversely of the pleats andsecured at its ends to the hat at opposite sides of the group of pleats and lending to hold the latter folded.

3. An adjustable hat of generally conventional d sign for ladies wear comprising a felt crown formed at its rear side with a few closely grouped pleats therein beginning in the crown of the hat extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat and adapted to fold and unfold for varying the head size of the hat while the rest of the hat has the usual outer surface, said pleats being formed with apertures in their opposed folds spaced :1 short distance above the lower edge of the hat; a pleat-guiding and contracting element in the form of an elastic strip trained through said apertures transversely of the pleats permanently secured at its ends to the inner side of the hat at opposite sides of the group of pleats and tending to hold the latter folded; and an exterior band extending around the hat and covering said elastic element, stitched to said pleats to fold with them and limiting the expansion of the hat.

4. An adjustable hat of generally conventional design formed at one side with a few closely grouped pleats therein beginning in the crown of the hat, extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat and adapted to fold and unfold for varying the head size of the hat; elastic means tending to hold the pleats folded; and stitching extending longitudinally along the pleats through the outer ridges thereof to hold the pleat folds pinched together along said ridges and define a pattern.

5. Anadjustable hat of generally conventional design for ladies wear formed at its rear side with a few closely grouped pleats therein beginning in the crown of the hat, converging and extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat and adapted to fold and unfold for varying the head size of the hat, said pleats being formed with registering slits in their opposed folds spaced a short distance above the lower edge of the hat; a pleat-guiding and contracting element in the form of an elastic strip trained through said slits transversely of the pleats, secured at its ends to the inner side of the hat at opposite sides of the group of pleats and tending to hold the latter folded; an exterior band eX- tending entirely around the hat and covering said elastic element; and stitching extending longitudinally along the pleats through the outer ridges thereof to hold the pleat folds pinched together along said ridges and define a pattern at the back of the hat.

6. An adjustable hat of generally conventional design for ladies wear formed at one side with few closely grouped pleats there in beginning in the crown of the hat, extending downwardly to the lover edge of the hat and adapted to fold and unfold for varying the head size of the hat while the rest of the hat has the usual outer surface; elastic means tending to hold the pleats folded; and a lining secured within the hat and formed of material 'cut and arranged on the bias with reference to the direction of the hat expansion to render it stretchable.

7. An adjustable hat of generally conven tional design for ladies wear formed at one side with a few closely grouped pleats therein beginning in the crown of the hat, converging and extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat and adapted to fold and unfold for Varying the head size of the hat while the rest of the hat has the usual outersurface, said pleats being formed with registering slits in their opposed folds spaced :1 short distance above the lower edge of the hat; a pleatguiding and contracting element in the form of a narrow, elongated elastic strip trained through said slits transversely of the pleats, permanently secured at its ends to the inner side of the hat at opposite sides of the group of pleats and tending to hold the latter folded;-an exterior band extending around the hat, covering said elastic element and stitched to said pleats to fold with them; and stitching extending longitudinally along the pleats through the outer ridges thereof to hold the pleat folds pinched together along said ridges and define a pattern at the back of the hat. i r

8. An adjustable felt hat of generally conventional design for ladies wear formed at one side with a few closely grouped pleats therein beginning in the crown of the hat, extending downwardly to the lower edge of the hat and adapted to fold and unfold for varying the head size of the hat while the rest of the hat has the usual outer surface, said pleats being formed with registering apertures in their opposed folds spaced :1 short distance above the lower edge of the hat; a pleat-guiding and contracting element in the form of a short elastic strip trained through said apertures transversely of the pleats permanently secured at its ends to the inner side of the hat at opposite sides of the group of pleats and tending to hold the lat ter folded; an exterior band extending entirely around the hat, covering said elastic element, stitched to said pleats to fold with them and limiting the expansion of the hat to protect the elastic element; and stitching oxtei'iding longitudinally along the pleats through the outer ridges thereof to hold the pleat folds pinched together along said ridges and define a pattern.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

JOHN S. BUOKMAN. 

